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Udacity

How to Build a Startup

via Udacity

Overview

In an introduction to the basics of the famous Customer Development Process, Steve Blank provides insight into the key steps needed to build a successful startup.

The main idea in this course is learning how to rapidly develop and test ideas by gathering massive amounts of customer and marketplace feedback. Many startups fail by not validating their ideas early on with real-life customers. In order to mitigate that, students will learn how to get out of the building and search for the real pain points and unmet needs of customers. Only with these can the entrepreneur find a proper solution and establish a suitable business model.

Building a startup is not simply building an execution plan for a business model that the entrepreneur thinks will work, but rather, a search for the actual business model itself.

Syllabus

  • What We Now Know
    • History of the Corporation,Startups Are Not Smaller Versions of Large Companies,Waterfall Development,Customer vs. Product Development,Entrepreneurial Education
  • Business Models and Customer Development
    • Value Proposition,Customer Segments,Revenue Streams,Key Resources,Customer Development Processes,Minimum Viable Product,Market Opportunity Analysis
  • Value Proposition
    • Value Proposition and the Minimum Viable Product,Customer Archetype,MVP Physical && Web/Mobile,Common Mistakes With Value Proposition
  • Customer Segments
    • Product Market Fit,Rank and Day in the Life,Multiple Customer Segments,Market Types Introduction: Existing, Resegmented, New, Clone,Consequences of Not Understanding a Market
  • Channels
    • Distribution Channels Overview,Web Distribution,Physical Distribution,Direct Channel Fit,Indirect Channel Economics,OEM Channel Economics
  • Customer Relationships
    • Paid Demand Creation,Earned Demand Creation,Get Physical,Viral Loop,Web Customer Acquisition Costs
  • Revenue Models
    • How Do You Make Money,Revenue Streams and Price,Direct and Ancillary Models,Common Startup Mistakes,Market Types and Pricing,Single and Multiple Side Markets,Revenue First Companies,Market Size and Share
  • Partners
    • Partner Definition,Partner Resources,Partner Types,Greatest Strategic Alliance,Joint Business Development
  • Resources, Activities and Costs
    • Four Critical Resources,Financial Resources,Human Resources,Qualified Employees and Culture,Intellectual Property Overview

Taught by

Steve Blank

Reviews

4.6 rating, based on 24 Class Central reviews

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  • Guarin
    The interesting thing about this class was that it wasn’t really a course in the conventional sense I had seen them on other platforms (and even Udacity), but rather more of a seminar in MOOC form. The course is in 8 parts, and gives an introduction…
  • Olena Bosenok
    I took this course in Fall 2012.

    Video lectures are animated and real fun to watch.

    Prof. Blank is a persuasive lecturer, and by the end of the course I was convinced, that I have to "get out of the building" to test my minimum viable product and meet my first customers :-)

    It was a pleasant learning experience and interesting discussions.

    However, it felt more like a webinar since there were no quizzes or exams.

    I would recommend this course for the first- time-entrepreneurs. It may not be challenging enough for experienced business people.
  • Anonymous
    A truly inspiring course: well paced, feels participative, perfectly designed learning for a MOOC platform. Made me flip my thinking, really forced me into action, to 'get out of the building ' and test and pivot the idea. Loved it.
  • Although it is content from 12 years ago, it still remains current on many things. Good investment of time.
  • Anonymous
    Innovative delivery and course design. The content is excellent and a "must have" for any entrepreneur. This can save you hundreds of hours of wasted time and potentially save you thousands of dollars, and perhaps save your start up. Follow me at http://twitter.com/audaciousinnov8
  • grace_4r
    I loved this course. It's bright, high tech, and practical. Recommend this course for business students as well as business professionals.
  • Anonymous
    I'm taking this class now, great lessons, discussions are very helpful too
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    Blink Course
    Excellent content undermined by technical problems. The non-multiple-choice assignment (which involves analyzing a business plan) is particularly annoying. It requires uploading of screenshots but there is no "upload" feature is available. The assig…
  • The interesting thing about this class was that it wasn’t really a course in the conventional sense I had seen them on other platforms (and even Udacity), but rather more of a seminar in MOOC form. The course is in 8 parts, and gives an introduction…
  • Eric Wentworth
    Taking the course right now. It's interesting and informative. The instructor, Steve Blank, a Silicon Valley legend, is great. Looking forward to finishing the course.
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